Demarco Thomas understands that many owners of trucking companies invest a great deal of money into buying a truck to start a company, but do not realize how difficult it is to run a business. In 2018, he co-founded MetroMax Group to advise these owner-operators to build business acumen and thrive in their initiatives.
The MetroMax Group is a conglomerate with a series of companies and joint ventures covering the end-to-end logistics spectrum in the domain. Thomas and his team collaborate with companies that need operational support — financial investment, advice on reducing overhead costs and maintaining business growth, and industry expertise to grow their business. The company has experienced tremendous growth (more than 100% in the past year) and exceeded all of its 2022 goals.
One of the company’s major accomplishments in 2022 was the launch of a trucking SaaS product called FleetDrive 360. This cutting-edge platform aligns with Thomas’ leadership core values by helping many small trucking operators stay in the business with a much lower cost. It will also empower many small carriers by providing access to low-cost, highly trained back-office resources that typically only large enterprises have access to. As a result, many small companies will be better equipped to sustain operations in a competitive market. Thomas led the marketing initiative for FleetDrive 360, which has gained more than 1,000 users so far.
Thomas considers his ability to network, surround himself with talented people and really listen as his most important strengths as a leader. He also allows his team to make strategic decisions. “Some decisions are great; some are not so great,” he says, “but overall, it develops accountability and allows me to consistently evaluate the quality of the team.” Networking is another important aspect of Thomas’ role as a leader. He consistently participates in speaking engagements, appears on panels at industry events and remains actively engaged in the transportation industry via MetroMax’s media company, Truck N’ Hustle. Thomas coordinated an event called FreightFest as a way to connect people across the industry. It was considered a huge success. Each of these efforts has had a positive impact on small business owners and trucking companies.
Like many companies emerging from COVID-19 disruptions, Thomas learned a big lesson in attracting and retaining talent and building a culture that empowers people to be their best. “I have learned that people do not leave a company, they leave bad leaders and toxic culture,” says Thomas. He believes the culture transformation at MetroMax Group rightly earned the company its “Great Place to Work” award in 2022.
